Posted by Harry [NR] on 4/22/12 2:09pm
Msg #418532
Signing Central Companies
I’d like to take a moment to address a question that continues to come up. “Why can’t you make all companies available to all members in Signing Central?” While I believe this has been asked and answered, I’ll cover it again. There are 3 primary reasons that Signing Central is not a free-for-all:
1) Data Thieves. We spend our time developing functionality to allow companies to be entered, rated, etc., with duplication checks and manual effort to maintain some semblance of order. The information published to our site subsequently appears on other sites and on for-purchase lists. We're not going to publish a wholesale directory of 2000+ companies operating statewide, regionally and nationwide for the benefit of our competition. Visibility is therefore restricted by member to companies operating in each member's state, which is driven by state codings. We can modify the state codings, companies can modify their own state codings, and Notary Rotary members can designate states when they add companies to SC. This data security issue is somewhat analogous to the notary data issue. "Can't you just send us a copy of your entire notary database so we can start our own?" WTH?
2) Data Quality, Quantity and Useability. Each day, I get copied on a handful of failed SC company entries. In most cases, the problem is that the company is already in our database as a self-registered user, which fails the duplication check. We have to decide whether to convert the existing account to an agency (signing service or title, for example) or create a new entry. In probably 30% of the cases, the company is something like “Bob’s Notary Service” and Bob is confused, thinking that since he has a “company,” the Signing Central company list must be the place for it. Those types of entries are generally caught before they’re added. If we did not have these types of restrictions – that is, if it were a free-for-all – all Notary Rotary users would be subject to massive duplication and mass confusion.
3) Company Requests. Smaller signing services that operate regionally, and even some big ones, have contacted us to ask that their profiles be hidden due to the number of people asking to sign up with them. They have limited staff for handling these types of inquiries and find the requests burdensome, choosing to handle notary sign-ups on an as-needed basis. If we made all companies available in all states, these companies could be completely overwhelmed by people trying to sign up with them that don’t even service their areas. If companies had multiple listings in SC, the problem would quickly get WAY out of hand.
With all of this said, the system would work extremely well if two conditions were met:
1) If Notary Rotary staff were completely responsive to additions and change requests.
2) If Notary Rotary members were accurate with initial SC entries / state codings.
Unfortunately, these conditions are not currently being met. Most of the problem rests with us and we’re still working to streamline internal systems so existing staff can better manage Signing Central companies. Unfortunately, it’s partly a software issue, I’m the main software guy, and much of my time has been consumed over the past 6 months with our expansion. More on that later.
Harry
Notary Rotary
| Reply by MW/VA on 4/22/12 4:31pm
Msg #418541
Thanks, Harry. n/m
| Reply by Linda Juenger on 4/22/12 9:06pm
Msg #418566
Re: Thanks, Harry.
I completely understand where you are coming from now. Thanks for the explanation, but can you explain the "logged on or logged off" part of it? That part has a lot of us confused. We can see companies more often times logged off than on and vice versa too. Thanks.
| Reply by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 4/22/12 9:36pm
Msg #418569
Re: Thanks, Harry.
***you explain the "logged on or logged off" part of it?***
I would assume, Linda, that if you are logged in, then your location is known and companies that do not serve that state won't be visible. If you aren't logged in, then there's no way of knowing what service area is involved.
| Reply by Linda Juenger on 4/22/12 9:46pm
Msg #418572
Hugh, can you explain what the problem was the other day
when you could not see MIS? Were you logged on or off?
| Reply by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 4/22/12 10:11pm
Msg #418574
Re: Hugh, can you explain what the problem was the other day
Logged in, no MIS.
Logged out, Presto! There it was.
I gather MIS does not normally serve Texas, so I can't see them when NotRot can tell I'm a Texas notary.
| Reply by Linda Juenger on 4/22/12 11:17pm
Msg #418589
Re: Hugh, can you explain what the problem was the other day
MIS is a nationwide company and you should have been able to see them logged on. This is what is so confusing to us. Although I understand where Harry is coming from, this certainly is a bug in his system that is meant to protect some and hinder others. The others being US paying members. I presume all the SS and TC's don't pay to be listed on here. If that's not true, I apologize. I assume they don't because we can add companies also. I guess I could understand this better if basic members didn't have access to all the companies, but paying members should be able to. JMO I respect Harry's reasons as it's his site and I'm sure its a tough one to keep control of. He'll never make everyone happy no matter how hard he tries.
| Reply by MW/VA on 4/23/12 7:15am
Msg #418596
That's what happens when we list a co. in SC and don't
follow the instructions for listing the states. The only way it will show up is to list them as doing business in all states by following the instructions.
| Reply by Lee/AR on 4/23/12 8:53am
Msg #418601
Exactly right, MW/VA, we are able to make it happen
And there's even instructions for adding all states or selective states. But we, the users, have to do it.
| Reply by bfnotary on 4/23/12 7:01pm
Msg #418664
I just have one question, I am still a tad new to notary rotary. If I were a premium member, are there more companies visible to me than being a basic member?
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